South Africa has for years assured that it will be ready to host the 2010 World Cup, but its preparations will be put to the test with the kick-off of the Confederations Cup next Sunday.

Renovations are complete at all four stadiums where the Confed games will be played, and the world football governing body FIFA says other preparations are on track.

"We are happy with the programme so far. The stadiums are all ready," FIFA spokeswoman Delia Fischer said.

The country's alarming crime rate, lack of public transportation and uneven infrastructure have drawn criticism that South Africa wouldn't be able to pull off a major world event.

Some of those doubts have been eased by the Indian Premier League's last-minute decision to shift its glitzy Twenty20 event to South Africa due to security concerns at home.

"We have done a good job with the IPL but it is up to this tournament's organisers to rise up to the occasion and match its success," said Ulrich Joubert, an economist at a financial services company Kruger International, who has monitored the preparations.

The IPL was widely hailed as a success, even though organisers had only about three weeks to organise the shift from India to South Africa.

But problems remain. Johannesburg's Bus Rapid Transit system was due to open this month, but has been stalled due to construction delays and disputes with politically influential minibus taxi operators.

Johannesburg is one of four host cities for world champs Italy and European champions Spain, Confed Cup titleholders Brazil, as well as Egypt, Iraq, New Zealand, the United States and hosts South Africa.

In a country where 50 people meet violent deaths every day, crime has always been a top concern, but security officials say they are taking extra safety precautions in Johannesburg as well as in Pretoria, Bloemfontein and Rustenburg.

Police assistant commissioner Ben Groenewald said about 10000 police officers would be deployed around the venues to maintain security during the tournament.

"We are already operating in terms of our communication control systems in all three provinces. The deployment of our people will start once the teams arrive," Groenewald told AFP.

SA Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) chief Colin Jordaan said additional airspace restrictions will be in place around the games.

"We are working with national agencies to ensure that air safety and security measures are in place and properly co-ordinated," Jordaan told AFP.

"In addition, we believe that the Confederations Cup will be a true test of South Africa's capabilities and readiness to host the world’s biggest soccer extravaganza, the 2010 FIFA World Cup," said Jordaan.

So far the biggest problem has been in promoting the games, which are stuck in the shadow of the World Cup.

Tickets sales started very slow, as local fans were baffled by the online sales — in a country where Internet access is only available to a privileged few.

Sales picked up after FIFA introduced ticketing kiosks where fans can directly purchase tickets. Overall 425,000 tickets, 70 percent of those available, have been sold, mainly to South Africans, according to FIFA.

The ticket sales highlight the new challenges that remain for South Africa with the World Cup, when 450 000 foreign fans are expected to descend on the country, taxing its airports and stretching the available accommodation.

AFP

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